Cisco SRE Service Module Interfaces Overview

The host router and the Cisco SRE Service Module use several interfaces for internal and external communication. Use the Cisco IOS CLI commands to configure each of the interfaces on the router.

Before configuring the interfaces, make sure that you have the following information for entering the Cisco SRE Service Module command environment:

•IP address of the Cisco router that contains the Cisco SRE Service Module.

•Username and password for logging into the router.

•Slot and unit number of the Cisco SRE Service Module.

The Cisco SRE Service Module communicates with the host router through the following three interfaces:

•Console Manager Interface—Console Manager interface allows you to access the service module console to perform SRE-V configuration. Accessible from within the host router, this interface provides an internal Layer 3 Gigabit Ethernet link between the router and the Cisco SRE Service Module. All configuration and management of the Console Manager interface is performed using the Cisco IOS CLI.

•MGF Interface—MGF interface enables the Cisco SRE Service Module to communicate over a high-speed backplane switch. Accessible from within the host router, this interface provides an internal Layer 2 Gigabit Ethernet link between the router and the Cisco SRE Service Module. Configuration of the MGF interface is performed using the Cisco IOS CLI. For more information about configuring MGF, see the "Multi-Gigabit Fabric on the Router" chapter in the Cisco 3900 Series, 2900 Series, and 1900 Series Integrated Services Routers Software Configuration Guide on Cisco.com.

•External Service Module Interface—VMware vSphere HypervisorTM or virtual machines can use the external service module interface as a primary interface or as a backup interface. Unlike the internal interfaces, the external interface is primarily controlled and managed by the VMware vSphere HypervisorTM. The traffic does not go into the router unless the VMware vSphere HypervisorTM is configured to forward the traffic into the router through the MGF interface.

Note In most cases, the routers are shipped with the Cisco SRE Service Module already installed in them.

•Identify the Cisco SRE Service Module slot and port location in the host router:

–slot—ID of the host router chassis slot in which the Cisco SRE Service Module resides. After you install the service module, you can obtain this information by using the Cisco IOS software CLI show running-config command.

–port—ID of the Network Interface Card (NIC) on the Cisco SRE Service Module. The value is 0 for the Console Manager interface; and 1 for the MGF interface.

Configuring the Cisco SRE Service Module Interfaces on the Router

Configure the internal interfaces between the Cisco SRE Service Module and the host router. This initial configuration allows you to access the service module to install and configure the Cisco SRE-V application.

Cisco SRE-V provides the following three configuration options:

•MGF Layer 2 Switched Configuration—This configuration option provides faster performance and has no impact on the router CPU because the traffic goes through the EtherSwitch rather than the router. It supports all Layer 2 functions, such as broadcasting. You must purchase a EtherSwitch EHWIC or EtherSwitch Service Module to use this configuration option.

•Cisco IOS Layer 3 Routed Configuration—This configuration option does not require additional equipment; however, it has an impact on the router CPU. This option is complex, and some of the Layer 2 functions, such as broadcasting, are not supported.

•External Interface Configuration—This configuration option is simple to configure, low in cost, and has no impact on the router CPU. However, it requires extra cabling and an extra Gigabit Ethernet switchport on the external switch. In addition, you cannot use Cisco IOS features on the VMware vSphere HypervisorTM networks (for example, you cannot put a virtual machine into a DMZ), and you cannot take advantage of the hardware TCP/IP/UDP/iSCSI off load features that are available on the internal interfaces.

MGF Layer 2 Switched Configuration—Recommended

Figure 3-1 shows the traffic flow in the MGF Layer 2 switched configuration. The MGF backplane switch connects the virtual network across multiple hypervisors and allows direct access to the LAN through Cisco EtherSwitch EHWICs or EtherSwitch Service Modules, without sending the traffic through the router CPU. For supported Cisco EtherSwitch EHWICs and EtherSwitch Service Modules, see Table 1-2.

Figure 3-1 Traffic Flow in the MGF Layer 2 Switched Configuration

Figure 3-2 shows the location of the IP addresses that you configure on the Cisco SRE service module interfaces.

The Console Manager needs two IP addresses: One IP address is for the router side of the router-to-console manager link; and the other IP address is for the Console Manager side of the link.

The VMware vSphere HypervisorTM alsoneeds two IP addresses: One IP address is for the router side of the link that connects the router to the VMware vSphere HypervisorTM; and the other IP address is for the VMware vSphere HypervisorTM.

Enters interface configuration mode for the slot and port where the Cisco SRE Service Module resides.

Step 2

ip addressconsole-manager-router-side-ip-addresssubnet-mask

or

ip unnumberedtype number

Example:

Router(config-if)# ip address 10.0.0.100 255.255.255.0

or

Router(config-if)# ip unnumbered gigabitethernet 1/0

Specifies the IP address for the router side of the link that connects the router to the Console Manager.

The Console Manager needs two IP addresses: One IP address is for the router side of the router-to-console manager link; and the other IP address is for the Console Manager side of the link. In this step, you configure the IP address for the router side of the link. See Figure 3-2.

•console-manager-router-side-ip-address subnet-mask—IP address for the router side of the link that connects the router to the Console Manager. Subnet mask to append to the IP address.

or

The ip unnumbered command enables IP processing on an interface without assigning an explicit IP address to that interface.

•type—Type of interface on which the router has an assigned IP address.

•number—Number of the interface on which the router has an assigned IP address.

Note The unnumbered interface must be unique. It cannot be another unnumbered interface.

Caution The
ip unnumbered command creates a point-to-point interface between devices. Broadcasting is not supported.

Note If you use the ip unnumbered command, you must use the ip route console-manager-ip-address subnet-masksm slot/0command to create a static route. See Step 8.

Step 3

service-module ip addressconsole-manager-ip-addresssubnet-mask

Example:

Router(config-if)# service-module ip address 10.0.0.1 255.255.255.0

Specifies the IP address for the Console Manager.

•console-manager-ip-address—IP address for the Console Manager. See Figure 3-2.

•subnet-mask—Subnet mask to append to the IP address; must be in the same subnet as the host router.

Note If you change the Console Manager IP address, you must reload the service module.

Step 4

service-module ip default-gatewayconsole-manager-gateway-ip-address

Example:

Router(config-if)# service-module ip default-gateway 10.0.0.100

Specifies the IP address of the default gateway for the Console Manager.

•hypervisor-ip-address—IP address of the VMware vSphere HypervisorTM. See Figure 3-2.

•subnet-mask—Subnet mask to append to the IP address; must be in the same subnet as the host router.

Step 6

no shut

Example:

Router(config-if)# no shut

Causes the interface to be administratively up.

Step 7

exit

Example:

Router(config)# exit

Returns to global configuration mode on the host router.

Step 8

[ip route console-manager-ip-addresssubnet-mask sm slot/0]

Example:

Router(config)# ip route 10.0.0.1 255.255.255.255 SM1/0

Creates a static route.

If you used the ip unnumbered command in Step 2, you must use the ip route console-manager-ip-address subnet-masksm slot/0command to create a static route.

•console-manager-ip-address subnet-mask—IP address and subnet mask of the Console Manager.

•slot/0—slot and port where the Cisco SRE Service Module resides.

Configure
slot/1 of the Console Manager

Step 1

interface sm slot/1

Example:

Router(config)# interface sm 1/1

Enters interface configuration mode for the slot and port where the Cisco SRE Service Module resides.

Step 2

switchport mode trunk

Example:

Router(config-if)#switchport mode trunk

Puts the port into permanent trunking mode.

The default configuration is access mode. Access mode works with native VLAN, which is VLAN 1 for the Cisco SRE Service Modules.

Step 3

[switchport trunk allowed vlanvlan_numbers]

Example:

Router(config-if)# switchport mode trunk

Router(config-if)# switchport trunk allowed vlan 40, 60

(Optional) Allows trunking on the specified VLANs.

•vlan_numbers—VLAN numbers on which you want to allow trunking.

Step 4

exit

Example:

Router(config)# exit

Returns to global configuration mode on the host router.

Configure VLAN 1

Step 1

interface vlan 1

Example:

Router(config)# interface vlan 1

Enters VLAN configuration mode for VLAN 1.

Step 2

ip address hypervisor-router-side-ip-addresssubnet-mask

Example:

Router(config-if)# ip address 20.0.0.100 255.255.255.0

Specifies the IP address for the router side of the router-to-VMware vSphere HypervisorTM link. See Figure 3-2.

•hypervisor-router-side-ip-address—IP address for the router side of the link that connects the router to the VMware vSphere HypervisorTM; must be in the same subnet as the IP address of the VMware vSphere HypervisorTM that you configured in Step 5.

•subnet-mask—Subnet mask to append to the IP address.

Step 3

no shut

Example:

Router(config-if)# no shut

Causes the interface to be administratively up.

Step 4

end

Example:

Router(config)# end

Returns to global configuration mode on the host router.

Step 5

copy running-config startup-config

Example:

Router# copy running-config startup-config

Saves the new running configuration of the router as the startup configuration.

Step 6

show running-config

Example:

Router# show running-config

Displays the running configuration of the router so that you can verify the address configurations.

Example

•The left pane shows an example of the Cisco IOS commands that you configure in the sm 1/0, sm 1/1, and vlan 1 interfaces.

•The right pane shows that the configuration is applied to the Console Manager and to the VMware vSphere HypervisorTM in Cisco SRE-V. The bottom area in the right pane shows the configuration for the Microsoft Windows Server that is configured using the standard Microsoft Windows network configuration setup process. This Microsoft Windows Server runs as a virtual machine.

Note The IP addresses in the configuration example are for reference only and might not be valid.

Enters interface configuration mode for the slot and port where the Cisco SRE Service Module resides.

Step 2

ip addressconsole-manager-router-side-ip-addresssubnet-mask

or

ip unnumberedtype number

Example:

Router(config-if)# ip address 10.0.0.100 255.255.255.0

or

Router(config-if)# ip unnumbered gigabitethernet 1/0

Specifies the IP address for the router side of the link that connects the router to the Console Manager.

The Console Manager needs two IP addresses: One IP address is for the router side of the router-to-console manager link; and the other IP address is for the Console Manager side of the link. In this step, you configure the IP address for the router side of the link. See Figure 3-2.

•console-manager-router-side-ip-address subnet-mask—IP address for the router side of the link that connects the router to the Console Manager. Subnet mask to append to the IP address.

or

The ip unnumbered command enables IP processing on an interface without assigning an explicit IP address to that interface.

•type—Type of interface on which the router has an assigned IP address.

•number—Number of the interface on which the router has an assigned IP address.

Note The unnumbered interface must be unique. It cannot be another unnumbered interface.

Caution The
ip unnumbered command creates a point-to-point interface between devices. Broadcasting is not supported.

Note If you use the ip unnumbered command, you must use the ip route console-manager-ip-address subnet-masksm slot/0command to create a static route. See Step 8.

Step 3

service-module ip addressconsole-manager-ip-addresssubnet-mask

Example:

Router(config-if)# service-module ip address 10.0.0.1 255.255.255.0

Specifies the IP address for the Console Manager.

•console-manager-ip-address—IP address for the Console Manager. See Figure 3-2.

•subnet-mask—Subnet mask to append to the IP address; must be in the same subnet as the host router.

Note If you change the Console Manager IP address, you must reload the service module.

Step 4

service-module ip default-gatewayconsole-manager-gateway-ip-address

Example:

Router(config-if)# service-module ip default-gateway 10.0.0.100

Specifies the IP address of the default gateway for the Console Manager.

Example

•The left pane shows an example of the Cisco IOS commands that you configure in the sm 1/0, sm 1/1, vlan 1, and Gigabit Ethernet interfaces.

•The right pane shows that the configuration is applied to the Console Manager and to the VMware vSphere HypervisorTM in Cisco SRE-V.

The bottom area in the right pane shows the configuration for the Microsoft Windows Server that is configured using the standard Microsoft Windows network configuration setup process. This Microsoft Windows Server runs as a virtual machine.

Note The IP addresses in the configuration example are for reference only and might not be valid.

Reload, Reset, and Shut Down Commands

To reload, reset, or shut down the Cisco SRE Service Module, choose the common router commands listed in Table 3-1. You might choose to shut down the Cisco SRE Service Module for service reasons or to save energy when it is not being used.

Note•Some shutdown commands can potentially disrupt service. If the command output for such a command displays a confirmation prompt, confirm by pressing Enter or cancel by typing n and pressing Enter. You can prevent the prompt from being displayed by using the no-confirm keyword.

•Some commands shut down the module or application, and then immediately restart it.

Table 3-1 Common Shutdown and Startup Commands

Configuration Mode

Command

Purpose

Router#

service-module sm slot/0 reload

Shuts down the Cisco SRE Service Module operating system gracefully.

Router#

service-module sm slot/0reset

Resets the hardware on the Cisco SRE Service Module. Use this command only to recover from a shutdown or failed state.

Caution Using this command does
not provide an orderly software shutdown and may impact file operations that are in progress.

If the virtual machines on the VMware vSphere HypervisorTM have VMware tools installed on them, and you issue this command, the virtual machines shut down first, and then the Cisco SRE Service Module shuts down.

If the virtual machines do not have VMware tools installed on them, and you issue this command, the virtual machines get powered off first, and then the shutdown signal is sent to the service module. After about two minutes, the Cisco SRE Service Module shuts down.